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In the 2011 census, the population of Redcliffe was 9,201; 52% female and 48% male.[1]

The median age of the Redcliffe population was 44 years of age, 7 years above the Australian median. Children aged under 15 years made up 15.5% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 20.7% of the population.

68.4% of people living in Redcliffe were born in Australia, compared to the national average of 69.8%; the next most common countries of birth were England 7%, New Zealand 6.3%, Scotland 1%, Philippines 0.8%, Netherlands 0.7%.

86.8% of people spoke only English at home; the next most popular languages were 0.5% Italian, 0.4% Tagalog, 0.4% German, 0.3% Dutch, 0.3% Samoan.

Before European settlement, the Redcliffe Peninsula was occupied by the indigenous Ningy Ningy people. The native name is Kau-in-Kau-in, which means Blood-Blood (red-like blood).[2]

Redcliffe holds the distinction of being the first European settlement in Queensland, first visited by Matthew Flinders on 17 July 1799.[3] Explorer John Oxley recommended "Red Cliff Point" – named after the red-coloured cliffs visible from Moreton Bay – to the Governor Thomas Brisbane for the new colony, reporting that ships could land at any tide and easily get close to the shore.[4] The party settled in Redcliffe on 13 September 1824, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Miller with 14 soldiers, some with wives and children, and 29 convicts. However, this settlement was abandoned after one year and the colony was moved south to a site on the Brisbane River at North Quay, 28 km (17 mi) south, that offered a more reliable water supply.[5]

Redcliffe became a pastoral district in the 1860s and in the 1880s boomed as a seaside resort town with the paddlesteamer Koopa making regular trips to its jetty from 1911.

The Hornibrook Bridge, completed in 1935 allowed easy access to and from Brisbane by motor car leading the way to rapid suburban development.

In 1958, The Gibb family from Manchester, England emigrated to this area and called it home for a period. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb went on to form the highly successful music group, The Bee Gees. In 1959, Brisbane based Speedcar driver Bill Goode, the promoter of the Redcliffe Speedway (located at the Redcliffe Showgrounds) hired the brothers to entertain the crowds at the speedway from the back of a truck during the interval. This was the first ever public performance by the trio.[6] In a letter to the Redcliffe Museum in 1999, Barry Gibb wrote "The smell of the oil, the noise and the atmosphere was incredible. This was the first public appearance Robin, Maurice and I ever made in Australia. We sang through the PA system and people threw money onto the track, and we met Brisbane's leading DJ and racing car driver Bill Gates, who suggested we call ourselves the BG's and even played our songs on his radio show, "Swinging' Gates' Platter Chatter". Hence Redcliffe became the birthplace of the Bee Gees."

The first high-rise apartment building was "Redcliffe Towers" at 89 Marine Parade which were finished in 1974. The following year, "Warwick Tower" at 51 Marine Parade was then constructed allowing for a new building height limit of eight storeys in the area. Currently, Redcliffe has a height restriction of twelve storeys along its Redcliffe Parade CBD area and new development is continually in the pipeline.

Attractions such as Suttons Beach, Redcliffe Jetty, Settlement Cove Lagoon, Redcliffe Museum, Redcliffe Botanic Gardens and Redcliffe Showgrounds are all within the suburb of Redcliffe. Well established restaurants including Sails On Suttons, The Redcliffe City Icecreamery, Mon Komo Hotel and The Jetty Cafe are all found along the foreshore.

Every Sunday morning the Jetty Markets are held along Redcliffe Parade.

In September each year, Redcliffe celebrates its history as Queensland's first European settlement location with the Redcliffe Festival's 'Redcliffe Remembers' event. This festival is chiefly held in the Redcliffe CBD with Redcliffe Parade being closed off to traffic for most of the day. Other events as part of this festival include the Redcliffe KiteFest, The Jetty Fiesta, KiteFest Live and Spring Break Beach Party.

A statue and walkway in honour of the Bee Gees, which was unveiled by Barry Gibb on 14 February 2013.